Control for fluid pumping and dispensing machines



N. R. HENRY Oct. 14, 1952 Filed Dec. 10, 1949 INVENTOR.

R. HENRY BY aw w CONTROL FOR FLUID PUMPING AND DISPENSING MACHINES NELSON ATTO RNEY Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED CONTROL FOR FLUID PUMPING AND DISPENSING MACHINES Nelson R. Henry, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to R. Feldser, Atlanta, Ga.

Application December 10, 1949, Serial No. 132,344

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a meter control and more particularly to a control for fluid pumping and dispensing machines which control may be prearranged and pre-set to discontinue the operation of the machine after delivery of the preset unit of fluid.

Gasoline service stations are continuously called upon to supply automobiles with varying quantities of gasoline, and the large majority of the automobile drivers order in quantities less than a full tank, such as five or ten gallons. Delivery of the gasoline from the pump into the automobile tank through the conventional hose and manually operated nozzle takes several minutes during which time the station attendant must remain at the nozzle in order to stop the pump at the desired quantity. Obviously this time element is very important in terms of both station overhead and customer relationship and it is highly desirable that the attendant be re lieved from continuous watch at the gasoline nozzle in order to complete the other services, such as checking the oil and cleaning the windshield.

There are devices in the prior art which control the delivery of gasoline from the pump but only if a full tank of gasoline is being purchased, since these devices operate on the principle of the gasoline in a full tank backing up into the nozzle and thereby cutting off the flow. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a meter control which may be pre-set to discontinue fluid delivery after any number of desired units of fluid have been delivered.

A further object of this invention is to provide a control which may be readily installed on any of the conventional fluid delivery pumping machines.

Also an object of this invention resides in the particular construction whereby the metering of the fluid is extremely accurate even over long periods of continuous usage.

Another object of this invention is to provide a meter control which is easily installed and thereafter maintained.

A further object of this invention is to provide a meter control which is readily fabricated from minimum of parts.

Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

and wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation of an embodiment of my invention with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the embodiment of Fig. 1, with parts thereof broken away.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. l. l

The particular embodiment of my invenion chosen for illustration comprises an outer casing or housing which is formed from a casting having a back plate ii], an end support plate II, and a center portion or center space member 12 forming vertical sides and an arcuate outer end, and a front plate [3 which conforms to the shape of the edge of center portion l2 and is secured to the edge thereof by screws l4. Passing through the front plate I 3 and the back plate I0 is a shaft or spindle l5 which is journaled for rotation. on the front plate [3 and the back plate in and is retained in place by a nut on the threaded end of the shaft I5 adjacent the journal in the back plate l0.

Internally of the casing is a worm gear lirotatably supported on shaft l5 through a collar or sleeve I! which extends from inside the casing out a distance from the front plate l3,'and immediately adjacent to worm gear 16 is a fiat disc or cam member l8 having a notch or cut out portion i9 cut into its peripheral edge. Cam member [8 has a center opening through which the collar I'I passes. A second and larger collar or sleeve member 20 fits over collar l1 and extends from a point at which it abuts the flat surface of cam member [8 out to a point a short distance from the end of sleeve l1 and an elongated pin 21 fixes the disc I 8 to the larger collar 20 so that both are joined together for rotation aboutthe shaft IS. The worm gear l6 has a blank gear portion 22 at which a number of gear teeth are missing for a purpose which will be subsequently =-described.

Fixed to the outer periphery on a portion of the larger collar 20 beyond the front plate I3 is an adjusting arm member 23 andppositioned flat against the surface of member 23 is a circular dial or indicator'plate 24 which is supported through a center opening for rotation with the small sleeve [1 but free of the large sleeve 20. Dial plate 24 has an arcuate opening 25 near the outer edge through which passes an adjusting screw 26 into the adjusting arm 23 thereby adjustably fixing dial plate 24 to adjusting arm 23. A dial knob 21 has a center bore into which fits the shaft i5 and the sleeve l1, and the knob 21 is locked to sleeve I! by a set screw 28 and also fixed to the dial plate 24 by a screw pin 29.

Entering near. one corner of the attaching plate H into th inside of the casing through bent-portion 36 of arm 35. 9C2l..,with;dialjplate 24, is .permittedito move outa shaft housing 30 is a drive shaft 3| which carries a worm 32 near its internal end. The shaft housing 30 and the drive shaft 3| are located so that the worm 32 is normally in engagement with the worm gear I6. Since there is space provided between the end of the collar I! and the back plate ID, the collar I! with the worm gear It, the disc l8, the large collar 20, the adjusting member 23, the dial plat 24, and the dial knob 21, is movable axially of shaft 15 toward the back plate In to disengage the worm gear l5 from the worm 32. A leaf spring 33 on-the inside of back plate 10 presses against'the collar l7 and resists axial movement of collar i! so as to keep the worm 32 and the worm gear .16 normally in engaged position.

An electrical control switch 34 is located-internally of the casing on the back plate I and has a circuit breaker v.or switch control arm 35 extending toward the: shaft I with a bent por- 1 -tion '36 of arm 35- normally pressing against the flat face of thecam'disc'IB. "Switchcontrol arm 35-is spring tensioned at the switch 34" by coil spring 3! so that the arm tends to move toward the -back"plate* I!) in order to .open the circuit of""the"switch. Theswitch34 iswired directly into the pump motor of the fluid machine or to a solenoidcontrol for the pumping mechanism -so that when' the switch isopen the pumping *stops'and'conversely when the switch is closed I the-pumping starts. According to'this constructionjthe switch control. arm'35 is normally pushed outwardly by the action of cam disc l8 on the control armbent portion 36 keeping the circuit closed; but-when the disc I8 is in such K 'positionthat cut-out portion I3 is adjacent con- "trol'arm' bentportion 36Ithen'the arm 35 moves "into the cut-out portion Hi to o en the switch 34. Further, when the sleeve 11 is pushed-ax- -lall toward-backplate [0,- against the action of spring33; the: control arm 35 moves to open'the circuit.

e' radnations"placed on the'dial plate 24 each representvone unit of "the particular fluid "(being-delivered? andzwan:index marker 38 is :s'crewed-to' front plate l3 iIlTOIdBI to indicate the ":ctotalnnmber-ofmnitsset for delivery. The rea ing-one unit with respect to-the index 31. There- -r ffore -two-revolutions indicate two .units on dial .34-andrso on'up to the maximum of units-for aethatdial.

In .the operation'ot'the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the shaft 3| is coupled to the driving pump in such a .manneras to cause the -.delivery oftone unit by the pump to rotate the -.-..',shaft -3-i-one.revolution; however, it is obvious to anyone skilled in .theart that aslong as the cor- .zrectratios .ofagears arev maintained throughout .the entire-construction, any ratio may be utilized 1- atshaft- 3|. .lIo deliver .any given number of -.units. of fluida forlinstance. five, the dialknob 2'! 'islpushed. inwardly to the dottedline position of .Fig ..2,,to movethe worm gearl6 out of engagementnwiththe worm 32;. and the..dial knob 21,

with thedialplate 24,.is. then rotated clockwise until the number Son the, dial is. in alignment ..Yyv'ith thevindex-'.38.andthe cut-out portion IS on cam.disc;l8.is exactly 5 units awayfrom the Then the dial knob ing arm 35 to close the circuit of switch 34 to start the fuel pump.

--As:.the pump operates to discharge the fluid, the shaft 3| turns counter-clockwise, turning the-worm 32 and the worm gear I6 counterclockwise and carrying with it the disc [8 with n-thebentportion 36 of actuating arm 35 gliding across the surface of disc [8 to maintain the circuit in switch 34 closed. The control arm 35 re mains in this position until the cam disc memc ber --l8::-has .turnedethe :desired 5uunitszat which timesthe 'bent portion -36iof1 controltarm 35.drops into theatcut-out I 9 in -discmember 1! 3=thereby openingathe circuit of switch. and shutting.- off the fluid-pump :motor and: in: this "position. the

disc member l8 has returnedtoalign theezero point-With the index, 38.

- In order to assure'accurateedelivery of the desiried units of fluid, the-.camdisc [871s adjustable, with respect to the location of. the cuteout "la-relative to thewbentportion "3B of actuating arm through? the -adjusting 'screw' 26 -andithe xslot-25 'in--plate=-24. .Thisrnakes it'possible to compensate for any delayjfromthe time thevbent :the time thatcthe circuit vof*switch:.3 l.is:opened portion 3B.drops intothe .cut-outportion :19 to and the pump stopped. :By'loosening thescrew 3: 26 th -cam 'discxl avmay be adjusted" by moving the adjusting arm-1:2 3 1 either clockwise :gorxcoun- -ter.'-clockwise.z :This .nhanges :theposition :of'; the

portion "[9 -jof acam- .discz-l8=iwith respect-to the ,--.bent portion: 36 of actuating- -rarm r35,:.thereby compensating forany lag io'rtleadzdue to the-delay in operation and also permits adjustment after the parts have: becomeaworn or dirty.

- Whenitbecomesnecessary'to permit the fluid -deliveryxpumpto pump an: unlimited quantity,

.mymeter control may be. disengagedtfrom opera- I .tion; by pressing the :dial: knob 2 7' inwardly. to. dis- -i:engage worm'gearlfi from worm 32 'androtating dial knob 21 countereclockwise to .wheresthe zero :markon the. dialfplateis slightly past the index 38;,zthereby putting therrcut-out' :portion'22: of

worm gear IS in alignment with itheiworml32.

;'Then the worm'gearrl Eis permittedito' move outwardly to assumenormalpositionand'the worm 32' does not enter into a drivingrengagement but rotates free in the cut-out portion 22 of the worm #:gearvlfiltToplace thegears backinto a driving relationshipit isionly necessary to reverse the 1. above procedure.

It will be obvious to those'skilledin the 'art that many modificationsandchanges may be "made in the embodiment-shown and described to :retractedposition, a cam mounted .-f.or. .-rotation andaxial movement with said gear,.n1eans for rotatably adjusting said camrelativeto said gear, indicator means .movably. mounted-on said casing, a drive shaft.rotatably supportedinosaid casing, a worm .on said drive shaft, engaging said gear in extended positiom'said cam being driven indirectly by said worm acting through said gear -means for moving said gear to retracted position,

a switch mounted inside of said casing, and a spring tensioned circuit breaker arm on said switch operable by said-cam to open said switch.

2. In a device of the class described, a casing, a shaft supported on said casing and extending through said casing, said shaft protruding from the front of said casing, a worm gear mounted for rotation on said shaft internally of said casing, said worm gear being axially movable on said shaft from extended to retracted position, a cam disc member adjustably mounted for rotation with said shaft and axial movement with said worm gear, a cam surface on said cam disc member, an adjusting member fixed to said cam disc and mounted externally of said casing, said adjusting member being arranged to rotatably adjust said cam disc member relative to said worm gear, a dial plate on said shaft externally of said casing, calibrations on said dial plate, an index marker on said casing, said dial plate being adjustably fixed to said adjusting member, selector means removably fixed to said worm gear and said dial plate, said worm gear being movable axially on said shaft to retracted position by said selector means, a drive shaft rotatably supported in said housing, a worm on said shaft engaging said worm gear in extended position, said cam disc being driven indirectly by said worm acting through said worm gear, a switch mounted inside of said casing, a circuit breaker arm on said switch normally abutting the surface of said cam disc member and being operable by said cam surface to open said switch.

3. In a device of the class described, a casing, a shaft supported on said casing and extending through said casing, said shaft having a protruding portion extending outwardly from said casing, a first collar movably mounted on said shaft and having an internal end spaced from the back of said casing and an external end extending outwardly from the front of said casing, said first collar being movable axially of said shaft from an extended to a retracted position, a spring normally retaining said first collar in extended position, a gear fixed for rotation and axial movement with said first collar internally of said casing, a second collar on said first collar having an external end extending outwardly from said casing, a cam disc member fixed to said second collar and being arranged for axial movement with said gear, means on said second collar for rotatably adjusting said cam disc member relative to said first collar, an indicator on said first collar externally of said casing, driving means in said casing for driving said worm gear, said cam disc member being driven indirectly by said driving means acting through said gear switch means in said casing, and control means for said switch means operable by said cam to open said switch.

4. In a device of the class described, a casing, a shaft supported on said casing and extending through a wall of said casing, said shaft having a protruding portion extending outwardly from said casing, a driven gear mounted for rotation on said shaft internally of said casing and being movable axially of said shaft, a cam mounted for rotatation and axial movement with said driven gear and rotatably adjustable with respect thereto, a dial plate mounted for rotation with said shaft externally of said casing, calibrations on said dial'plate,' an index marker on side casing; a

1 drive shaft rotatablyv supported in said casing, a

gear on said shaft engaging saiddrivengear in extended position, said cam being driven indirectly by said drive shaft acting through said driven gear,-a switch mounted. inside said casing, a circuit breaker arm on said switch having an end portion normally abutting said cam member and being operable by said cam to open said switch, and means connected between said cam and said driven gear for compensating for any lag or lead of said switch.

5. In a device of the class described, a casing, a shaft supported on said casing and extending through a wall of said casing, said shaft having a protruding portion extending outwardly from said casing, a first collar movably mounted on said shaft, said first collar being movable axially of said shaft from an extended to a retracted position, a spring normally retaining said first collar in extended position, a driven gear fixed for rotation and axial movement with said first collar internally of said casing, a second collar on said first collar having an external end extending outwardly from said casing, a cam on said first collar and axially movable therewith, said cam being fixed to said second collar, means for rotatably adjusting said cam on said first collar, a dial plate on said first collar externally of said casing, calibrations on said dial plate, an index marker on said casing, selector means on said shaft removably fixed to said first collar and said dial plate, driving means for driving said driven gear, said driven gear being disengaged from said driving means in retracted position said cam being driven indirectly by said driving means acting through said driven gear, switch means in said casing, and control means on said switch means operable by said cam to open said switch.

6. In a device of the class described, a casing comprising a front plate, a back plate, and intermediate plates spacing apart said front and back plates, a shaft supported on said front and back plates and extending through said casing, said shaft having a protruding portion extending outwardly from said front plate, a first collar movably mounted on said shaft and having an internal end spaced from said back plate and an external end spaced outwardly from said front plate, said first collar being movable axially of said shaft from an extended to a retracted posi tion, spring means normally retaining said first collar in extended position, a worm gear fixed for rotation and axial movement with said first collar internally of said casing, a second collar on said first collar having an external end extending outwardly from said front plate, a. cam disc member rotatably adjustable on said first collar and axially movable therewith, said cam disc member being fixed to said second collar, a cut out portion on the periphery of said cam disc member, an adjusting member fixed to said secand collar externally of said casing, a dial plate I fixed to said first collar externally of said casing,

calibrations on said dial plate, an index marker on said casing, said dial plate being adjustably fixed to said adjusting member, a dial knob on said shaft removably fixed to said first collar and said dial plate, a drive shaft housing entering said casing, a shaft rotatably supported in said housing, a worm on said shaft engaging said worm gear in extended position, said cam being driven indirectly by said worm acting through said worm gear, a switch mounted inside of said 

